


Headpats

by JaceofAllTrade



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: ??? kinda, Gekkabros remembering August, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Spy Buddies Headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29500497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaceofAllTrade/pseuds/JaceofAllTrade
Summary: August used to ruffle their hair every chance he got.They remember these moments after a certain someone does the same.
Relationships: August & Mikage Hisoka & Utsuki Chikage, Chigasaki Itaru/Takatoo Tasuku - Implied, Mikage Hisoka & Nanao Taichi & Utsuki Chikage, Mikage Hisoka & Tachibana Izumi, Mikage Hisoka & Utsuki Chikage, Tachibana Izumi & Utsuki Chikage, Tsukioka Tsumugi/Utsuki Chikage - Implied
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	Headpats

There’s a moment.

When they’re between shows and the exhaustion caught up to them like a dragonfly zipping across a tall grass field with the wind blowing ever so slightly and making the grass dance. Calm and ethereal, but then all too suddenly, it’s still and silent.

Eerie.

Almost suffocating.

It made them more vulnerable.

That’s that moment right now. His eyes somewhat unfocused and his body unmoving as if he was a video on pause, but the only thing on his mind was the feeling on top of his head. The gentle and fond ruffling of his green locks from a person who meant so much to him and they treasured him just as much. At least, he hoped so.

It’s not like he could ask August anymore.

“Chikage-san…?”

Ah, he’s being called.

He’s not April right now.

With the hand still on his head, Chikage tilted his gaze up from the nothing he was staring so intensely at to meet the worried gaze of the Director. All the while, his eyes were foggy with emotions he hadn’t experienced in years.

“Yes?” He resisted the urge to cringe at his own voice sounding so thick with emotion so familiar, yet so different from then. Swallowing, Chikage tried again, “Is something wrong, Director?”

There’s a look on Izumi’s face. _Worry_ , his brain helpfully supplied as Izumi slowly removed her hand from his head, his hand twitching with the need to pull that hand back and feel that happiness once again. That happiness he thought he’d lost completely along with August.

But instead of answering his question, Izumi leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, trapping him in a hug that he didn’t have the strength to pull away from. Her hand reached up and started running her hand through his hair again as Chikage debated pushing her away, but then she spoke and Chikage could feel his resolve shattering.

“It reminded you of him, didn’t it?” Izumi’s voice was light, a gentle reverberation that shook him to his core enough to start crying.

_Fuck, what are you doing?_

“It’s okay, Chikage-san. You’re okay. I know you have a tendency to never talk, but you don’t need to. Only when you’re ready. But please allow yourself to cry, Chikage-san.”

And so, he did.

He didn’t really remember the rest of that day, but he did clearly remember having to be carried back to room 103 by Tasuku and Itaru—mostly Tasuku—with a worried Tsumugi in tow. And a new surge of warmth settled within him as Chikage allowed himself this little moment of vulnerability.

Just this once.

«~•~»

It happened while he was half asleep.

The little moment of heavy drowsiness from just having awoken causing him to not realize what he was saying or doing until there was a questioning voice. Honestly, he would’ve gone back to sleep, even with that question being asked. He should’ve gone back to sleep. It would’ve felt a little freeing to not have to waste energy being awake.

After all, he needed to keep his energy for missions.

“Hisoka-san.”

Then, all too quickly, he startled and sat up, visible eye widening as Hisoka realized that in his drowsy haze, he’d called the Director _August_ after the affectionate headpats he was receiving from her. Something August had always done when Hisoka used to sleep on his lap, but he wasn’t with August right now. He was with Izumi who was giving him this look of pure understanding with a mix of sadness hidden just beneath the surface.

“Director…” Hisoka breathed out and looked away as the realization of his actions finally fully hit him.

Hand reaching out, Izumi plopped her hand on top of his snow white hair again and carefully ran her hand through it, making sure not to move his fringe from his right eye. Then, her hand slid down to his chin and gently tugged at it so that he’d look at her as he reluctantly met her gaze. She smiled at him. A smile that he’d only witnessed from one person. A smile filled with all the love and adoration he felt every day from being around August.

But this wasn’t August.

“I know, Hisoka-san. You don’t have to say anything. You miss him and that’s okay.” Izumi studied him for a moment before thumbing at the tears that Hisoka didn’t know were rolling steadily down his cheeks. Then, she released his chin in favor of grasping his shoulder so that she could pull him into a tight and comforting hug. “To think both of you would react so similarly,” she whispered, voice filled with a certain kind of fondness he couldn’t quite place. “I wish I could do more for both of you.”

Hisoka wasn’t exactly sure what she meant at the time, his mind too clouded with thoughts of the brother he’d lost. So, he closed his eyes as tears continued to stream down his face and hesitantly gripping at her coat as a sort of lifeline, suddenly afraid that if he let go, he’d lose her too.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he’d fallen back asleep at some point and woke up to her still by his side. A reminder that things wouldn’t turn out the same way.

«~•~»

It wasn’t until weeks later did Hisoka suddenly approach Chikage.

“I heard you cried in front of the Director last month.”

Chikage pulled a face because obviously, his brother would be able to see through his lies. “Are you asking me to kick your ass?”

Uncharacteristically, Hisoka stayed quiet for several moments before meeting eyes with his brother. “The same thing happened to me.”

Realization crossed Chikage’s face as the green-haired man sighed and nodded, placing his hands on his hips before looking away from Hisoka to scan the area around them for a moment. He nodded again. “I’ll go make us some tea, wait for me on the balcony. We’ll talk there.”

With a nod, Hisoka turned on his heel and walked away as Chikage watched him leave for a moment before shaking his head and taking a deep breath. “Always with the sudden bouts of seriousness.” Briefly, Chikage wished he had that confidence to bring up his pain to finally start healing.

Not yet, though.

Soon.

«~•~»

After their conversation on the balcony, they both thought that that’d be the end of it. That they’d come to an understanding and had processed those emotions the new way they’d learned how. They thought talking was enough.

But as Chikage patted Taichi’s head during one of their many ‘spy’ adventures that the redhead always managed to drag the two along to—upon seeing his face light up with a smile so wide and a laugh so full of admiration and accomplishment—the two realized that this was what August saw within them before. This reaction was exactly what he saw time and time again when he ruffled their hair.

Pure happiness and satisfaction emitting from someone you love oh so dearly.

That you’d do anything for them to make sure they’d stay just as happy and comfortable as in that moment.

Maybe it wasn’t as foolish as they thought to crumble completely at an action so seemingly simple from an outside perspective.

After all, they’re still healing.

And that’s okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I sprinkled a hint of spy buddies hc that I talk nonstop about sometimes on Tumblr. In short, it's about Taichi, Chikage, and Hisoka bonding over spy media content and Taichi doesn't know the truth of course.


End file.
